


Two Valentines

by Amelia Danvers (magnetgirl)



Category: New Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Civil War (Marvel), F/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:21:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22642519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnetgirl/pseuds/Amelia%20Danvers
Summary: Carol spends Valentine's Day with Tony Stark and Peter Parker.
Relationships: Carol Danvers/Peter Parker, Carol Danvers/Tony Stark
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12
Collections: Younger Avengers





	1. It's Not Easy

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter takes place during the Avengers storyline _Civil War_. Tony and Carol work for SHIELD, enforcing the Superhuman Registration Act and Peter is an underground Avenger and unauthorized superhuman.

Carol grew up in a house where feelings were discouraged. Or maybe it was just showing feelings, but if you hide things too well, eventually you forget where they are. Her father made her angry and her mother made her angrier and her brothers made her angriest, but even her anger she hid away. She worked as hard as she could to excel at school and sports and anything she did because she was determined to leave all that discouragement behind. And all the love she wanted to give and was told not to, too.  
  
When she did fall in love she fell hard because she didn't have a safety net. She'd never believed in having one, not in any part of her life or self. And so she fell in love with the wrong man and she did it three times.

The first time it was high adventure and intrigue, like something out of a Bond film, and she was the girl with the gun and the killer legs and he was the spy who loved her. He was her teacher, he introduced her to the world of espionage and undercover life and it was only natural it turned into under covers — and then, finally, or suddenly, depending on your point of view — undercover love. But love that begins like a movie tends to end like a movie, too. Michael was the one who taught her how to lie to the people closest to her. Of course he was lying all along.  
  
The second time she fell in love it was a highbrow space opera. He was the princely visitor from far, far, away who was strangely more human than anyone she'd known, and she was the Earth Girl who was uncharacteristically not easy at all. Thrown together they found common ground that became common affection. But like all great opera they burned bright and burned out before the final act. Carol and Mar-Vell were literally-star-crossed lovers whose passion was sudden, overwhelming, all-consuming, and ultimately, deadly. Juliet died first, in fire and starlight, but she was only sleeping. When she woke, she found Romeo was dead of a heart that could not survive in her atmosphere without her by his side.  
  
The third time she fell in love it was the kind of romantic dramedy Katherine Hepburn pulled off better than Meg Ryan ever could. The kind where the tall, smartass career woman falls for the man with all the qualities she hates in anyone but most especially in an attractive man. Tony pursued her the way he pursues any skirt until he realized she was wearing pants and she became his partner in crime. And once he stopped chasing, she could stop running and in the movies they would have figured out they were in love all along and the credits would roll. In life, they kept dancing.

She was afraid, it was much too much to lose.

_Valentine's Day_

"Roses for the lady?"

Carol's eyes narrowed at the flower thrust in her face, but Tony gave the florist a smile and a bill. Rewarded the bouquet, he continued down the path. Carol quickened her pace to keep up.  
  
"What's that for?"  
  
Tony winked and threw the brightly colored floral arrangement her way. "Happy Valentine's Day."  
  
Carol caught the bouquet almost accidentally. "What?" She glanced at the flowers, red roses wrapped with ribbons and hearts. "Oh. Right. I forgot." She shrugged; Carol was known for forgetting her own birthday, a greeting card holiday for couples was never going to be a high priority for her mindspace.  
  
"Want to get dinner?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Dinner. It's a meal." He gestured at her arms. "Dozen roses, fancy dinner, maybe dancing, moonlit stroll..."  
  
"We're on a moonlit stroll."  
  
"We're on patrol. Dinner."  
  
"Won't everywhere be booked?"  
  
He looked at her witheringly. "I'm Tony Stark."  
  
"So you're going to ruin someone's Valentine's."  
  
"No, I'm going to make someone's Valentine's."  
  
Carol stared. "Me?"  
  
"You."  
  
Carol shook her head. "This is not a date."  
  
"I owe you. You deserve a night out."  
  
Carol shook her head again. "Let's go find some bad guys."  
  
Tony gave her a look but nodded in acquiescence.  
  


* * *

  
"That was too easy." Carol frowned at the crowd of recently rescued couples. The group of would-be-villains, mostly Hydra, were being rounded up by SHIELD agents. "They kept looking up, like they expected air support."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "Look."  
  
"What am I looking at?" He pointed. She peered. "What? Is it a bird, a plane, a—" She cut off at his expression. "Looking." They both turned eyes back to the rooftop where a familiar figure perched. "Spider-Man."  
  
"Spider-Man," he agreed.  
  
"What do you wanna do?"  
  
Tony didn't answer with words, but launched into the sky. Carol's frown deepened as she followed. "We're _arresting_ him?"  
  
"He broke the law."  
  
"He was helping us!"  
  
"He _broke_ the _law_."  
  
"You _make_ the law!"  
  
He stopped, hovering, to meet her gaze. "That's why I have to follow it." Carol didn't answer, but waited, chewing her bottom lip. Tony nodded. "Ladies first." She glared but flew at Spider-Man, making his way away from the scene, and dropped in front of him.  
  
"You are in violation of the Super Human Registration Act—"  
  
"Seriously?"  
  
"—You will be taken to—"

"Oooh, sorry, I'm busy." Spider-Man shrugged. "Maybe some other time."  
  
Tony dropped down on the other side of Peter. "Don't make this harder than it already is."  
  
"I'm supposed to make it easy?"  
  
"It's not."  
  
Peter glanced to Carol, her tone made him pause. "Not what?"  
  
"Easy." 

"So don't do it."  
  
She didn't answer. With a sigh Iron Man moved in to hold Spider-Man. Peter was too quick for him, and escaped capture, but took a palpable hit.  
  
"Ow!" He jumped away from Tony and fell into Carol.  
  
"Hold him!" Tony shouted, pulling webbing out of his joints. Carol's hands tightened on Peter's arms but he threw all his weight into her and they toppled off the roof. Caught unawares, Carol fell backwards and Peter slipped out of her arms, swinging away to safety. Except he landed back on the roof, beside Tony, and didn't make an escape. He stared down as Ms. Marvel hit the ground.  
  
"Can't she fly?"  
  
"Yes," said Tony tersely. Peter glanced his way and then back to Carol.  
  
"Is she okay?"  
  
"Yes," said Tony again. Peter glanced between the two a second time. He stood straight, intending to jump down to her, but Tony put a hand to his arm.  
  
"Go."  
  
"But—"  
  
"Now." Peter looked torn, but a final glance told him Carol was sitting up. He nodded and swung away from the scene. Tony dropped down beside his partner. She looked up at him, a mix of emotions in her eyes. "You can fly."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Are you okay?" She nodded. "Okay." He helped her up.  
  
His arms still around her, Carol met his eyes. "Can we do the dinner now?"  
  
He smiled. "Yes. But I'm not buying you any more flowers."  
  
"It's still not a date."  
  
"Just dinner."  
  
"Right."  
  
"On Valentine's Day."  
  
"It's just a coincidence."  
  
Tony gave her a look but nodded in acquiescence.


	2. It's Not a Fairy Tale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place one year later. Carol joined the underground Avengers working against the Superhuman Registration Act and while living in close quarters with her fellow hidden superhumans started a relationship with Peter Parker.

  
_Valentine's Day, one year later._  
  
"Wow."  
  
Carol looked up to find Peter looking at her slack-jawed. "What?"  
  
"Wow."  
  
She rolled her eyes, smile wide."You said that already."  
  
His smile was even wider. "It bore repeating!"  
  
"Goof."  
  
Peter went very still. "Yeah."  
  
Carol frowned. "What?"  
  
Peter shrugged. "Look at you! Why would _you_ , goddess of love and beauty, ever be with _me_ , 'goof'?"  
  
Carol was suddenly self-conscious in her pretty, shiny, and tiny, red dress. "I can change if you want."  
  
"No!" His vehemence startled her and she froze, staring. He shook his head and continued more calmly. "You're perfect."  
  
She didn't answer.  
  
"You look beautiful, Carol."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Peter smiled and held up his arm with gentlemanly bravado, hoping to put awkward moments brought on by silly insecurities behind them. "Your carriage awaits, my lady."  
  
Carol nodded and took his arm, but she still wasn't smiling. She took two steps and stopped. "I want you to open your gift."  
  
Peter peered at her. "I thought we decided dinner first?"  
  
"Okay." Two more steps, and stop. Peter frowned. Carol dropped his arm and retrieved a box from under the bed. Lips pursed, she returned to his side and held it out to him. "Please?"  
  
Peter gave her a funny look that said too many things at once. But how could he deny her anything when she was all dressed up in such a pretty, shiny, and tiny, red dress? And yet looking so ...shy?

"Of course," he said and took the gift and her hand and pulled her with him to the nearest chair. He sat, and not dropping her hand, opened the box with the other. _The Princess Bride_ by William Goldman.  
  
"I already have this book." He swung their hands, eyes twinkling at her.  
  
"I know. It's for when that one gets blown up." He grinned. Fair point. "Open it."  
  
"Is there a note?"  
  
"A bookmark."  
  
He tugged her hand and she obliged, moving in and perching on the arm of the chair. He opened the book, verified the passage being marked and opened the envelope. And stared.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
"You're the science teacher."  
  
He scrunched his nose at her. "It's an x-ray." She nodded. "A chest x-ray." She nodded again. "Is it _your_ chest x-ray? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I could pick your not x-rayed chest out of a line-up but—"

She hit him.

"Hey!"

She rolled her eyes, but still looked shy. And wasn't speaking.

"Okay. You're giving me your chest?"

Carol made a face. A familiar, 'don't be stupid', face.

"You're giving me your... heart?"

Carol held his gaze, still not speaking, but her face didn't say 'don't be stupid' anymore. Peter pulled her onto his lap and into his arms, book, x-ray, pretty, shiny, tiny and red dress, heart, and all.  
  
"You're giving me your heart."  
  
Carol smiled. "Yeah." She'd found someone to trust with it.

I'll tell you a secret about Carol Danvers. She's not afraid of anything.


End file.
